The leukotrienes constitute a group of locally acting hormones, produced in living systems from arachidonic acid. The major leukotrienes are Leukotriene B.sub.4 (abbreviated at LTB.sub.4), LTC.sub.4, LTD.sub.4, and LTE.sub.4. The biosynthesis of these leukotrienes begins with the action of the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase on arachidonic acid to produce the epoxide known as Leukotriene A.sub.4 (LTA.sub.4), which is converted to the other leukotrienes by subsequent enzymatic steps. Further details of the biosynthesis, as well as the metabolism of the leukotrienes, are to be found in the book Leukotrienes and Lipoxygenases, ed. J. Rokach, Elsevier, Amsterdam (1989). The actions of the leukotrienes in living systems and their contribution to various diseases states are also discussed in the book by Rokach.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,743 discloses structures of leukotriene antagonists which differ from the present compounds, most notably in the absence of the benzyl alcohol and of fused cycloalkyl pyridines. The structure of the compounds disclosed in the above patent application is shown below. ##STR2##
The art also describes certain quinoline-containing compounds as having leukotriene antagonist activity. Thus, EP 318,093 (Merck) describes compounds of structure A while compounds of structure B are disclosed in WO 89/12629 (Rorer). ##STR3##